Various exercise machines include one or more movable components. The movement of these components is under the control of the user. For example, a simple barbell is at rest when on the floor or when resting in the upright supports found on a bench press apparatus. Effectively, the barbell is biased toward its at rest position by gravity acting upon the barbell. The user grasps the barbell and lifts to begin an exercise routine. Upon completion of the exercise routine, the user returns the barbell to the floor or the upright supports where the barbell remains biased against movement away from its docking position. Modern exercise machines, however, include one or more moveable components which commonly are biased by free weights, hydraulic systems and the like toward their individual docking positions, that is their at rest positions. The user of the machine begins an exercise routine on such an apparatus by first positioning himself or herself with respect to the apparatus and then applying force to the moveable component sufficient to move the component away from its docking position and then through some range of motion which exercises the muscles of the user. At all times during the exercise, the movable component remains biased toward its docked (at rest) position, so that the first effort by the user of the apparatus when commencing an exercise routine is a substantial exertion of force against the movable component as causes the component to overcome its inertia. This concept is generally referred to in the art as starting an exercise routine from the "closed position". The term "closed position" also most commonly implies that the limbs of the user are in their maximum position of extension (adduction or abduction or rotation, depending upon the type of exercise) and therefore the user's muscles and joints are stressed the greatest. In like manner, when the user completes the exercise routine and is relatively tired, the moveable component must be controllably returned to its docking position. This effort, again requires the user to move their limbs to a maximum position of extension, etc. and at a time when the user has expended substantial energy completing the exercise routine and their muscles are tired. Accordingly, both the starting and ending activities of the exercise routine subject the user to the danger of the biasing force of the exercise apparatus violently overcoming the strength of the user and resulting undue strain on the user's muscles and joints, or in more serious injury to the user.
It has been suggested in the art that certain exercise routines should be commenced in the "open position" as a precaution against undue initial strain upon the user at the commencement of an exercise routine when the user has yet to be "warmed up". The "open position" in this situation refers to the movable component of the exercise machine, at the start of an exercise routine, being disposed at the upper limit of its range of anticipated movement during the exercise routine. That is the component will be docked at its upper limit of its range of movement. It will be recognized that in this position of the movable component, the component will be docked in its fully biased attitude and once released from its docking, the component must be under the full control of the user. Thus, it becomes most important that the user have full and complete control over the release of the movable component from its docked position. Further, it is likewise important that the docking be of a type which precludes inadvertent release of the biased movable component to thereby ensure the safety of both the user and/or persons incidentally associated with the apparatus.
Further, in those exercise apparatuses which require the user to use both of their hands to grasp the movable component or components of the apparatus to carry out the exercise routine, it is desirable, and even required in certain apparatus, that the release of the docking of the movable component be controllable by other than the hands of the user. Still further, it is of importance that the docking be such that when the user has completed an exercise routine, the movable component may be readily docked, again without requiring the use of the hands of the user.
In certain exercise apparatus, it is desirable that the docking position of the movable component of the exercise apparatus be at an intermediate position, that is, at a position between the minimum and maximum limits of movement of the movable component. In this situation, after the user has released the movable component from its dock, it is required that the dock remain out of its docking position until the user has completed their exercise routine, but that the dock be readily returnable to its docking position under the control of the user.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for docking one or more of the movable components of an exercise machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus for docking one or more of the movable components of an exercise machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for docking one or more of the movable components of an exercise machine wherein the dock is fully under the control of the user of the machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a docking apparatus which permits control of the dock by means other than the body member or members which are primarily used to control the movement of the movable component of the exercise machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for docking one or more of the movable components of an exercise machine and which provides protection against inadvertent release of the dock from its position of support for the movable component or components.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for docking one or more of the movable components of an exercise machine and wherein the dock may be located at substantially any position between the minimum and maximum limits of movement of the movable component or components.